Tony Finau shook off two early bogeys to post a three-under-par 69 on Friday and maintain a share of the lead alongside Ryan Palmer after the second round of the PGA Tour Memorial.

As reigning Masters champion Tiger Woods struggled with back issues on his way to a four-over-par 76 - making the halfway cut on the number - overnight leader Finau and Palmer, who started the day one back, steered a steady course.

Finau capped his round with an approach to two feet for his fifth birdie of the day at his final hole, the ninth, finishing 36 holes on nine-under par 135.

"I was really happy with the finish, the way I finished," said Finau, who opened with a bogey at the 10th and dropped another shot at 12 before rolling in an 11-foot birdie putt at the 15th and a two-footer at 17.

"Not the ideal start, but I knew I couldn't look back after 12, just keep on plugging along and try to hit good shot after good shot, and was able to execute a lot better after that," added Finau, who birdied five and seven before his impressive closing flourish.

Palmer also bounced back from an early bogey, notching five birdies in his four-under 68.

They were one stroke in front of Spain's Jon Rahm, who carded a 67 for 136.

Reigning US Open champion Gary Woodland fired a 70 and was two adrift, tied on 138 with Chez Reavie (67) and Luke List (68).

World No 2 Rahm had six birdies in his five-under effort as he bids to overtake Rory McIlroy atop the world rankings this week.

With Muirfield Village in Dublin, Ohio, playing tough, McIlroy took a wild path to an even-par 72 and a two-under total of 142.

The Northern Ireland star's round included a double-bogey, an eagle, four birdies and four bogeys.

"I don't know what it was," said McIlroy, who dunked a ball in a creek at 11 and landed his approach from the fairway eight feet from the pin for eagle at the fifth. "It was a few birdies and an eagle thrown in there and a few mistakes.

"There's some good in there, some mediocre and there was some pretty poor shots," McIlroy said. "But I battled back well."

But Woods, playing his first PGA Tour event since February after a tour shutdown in March over the coronavirus pandemic, was battling more than Muirfield.

Tiger in trouble 

The 44-year-old Woods, who said his back was bothering him even as he warmed up, had five bogeys and a double-bogey with just three birdies.

A solid finish, with two birdies and a par save in his final three holes, didn't do much to improve his outlook.

"Not very good," Woods said. "I three-putted two holes early, and whatever kind of momentum I was going to create, I stifled that early and fought it the rest of the day."

Woods had to wait out the afternoon to see if his three-over total would see him into the weekend, and it did, without a shot to spare.

The five-time Memorial winner has never missed a cut in 17 prior appearances in the tournament hosted by Jack Nicklaus.

Brooks Koepka was also three-over through 36 holes, firing a second-round 75.

Bryson DeChambeau endured a horror-show 10 at the par-five 15th, where he found the water off the tee and was out-of-bounds twice on the way to the quintuple bogey.

The big-hitting American's 76 gave him a two-day total of five-over 149.

Dustin Johnson, who also started the tournament with a chance to topple McIlroy atop the rankings, also missed the cut with a second straight 80.

Leading second-round scores on Friday in the PGA Tour Memorial Tournament at Muirfield Village in Dublin, Ohio (USA unless noted, par-72):

135 - Ryan Palmer 67-68, Tony Finau 66-69

136 - Jon Rahm (ESP) 69-67

138 - Gary Woodland 68-70, Chez Reavie 71-67, Luke List 70-68

139 - Jason Day (AUS) 73-66

140 - Mackenzie Hughes (CAN) 74-66, Henrik Norlander (SWE) 74-66, Steve Stricker 73-67, Jim Furyk 72-68, Danny Willett (ENG) 74-66, Jordan Spieth 70-70, Viktor Hovland (NOR) 74-66, Patrick Cantlay 70-70

141 - Lucas Glover 69-72, Christiaan Bezuidenhout (RSA) 72-69, Dylan Frittelli (RSA) 73-68, Matthew Fitzpatrick (ENG) 75-66, Justin Thomas 74-67